Clutch



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

o. L. GARMAN.

CLUTCH.

N0. 483,601. Patented 0011.4, 1892.

(N0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. L. GARMAN. GLUTGH.

No. 483,601. Patented Oot. 4, 1892.

@i Ef %%Zdl. da; zvg, Qd-0mg@ mi wunms pneus cu. Fuero-Uwe.. wAsuzNawy,o. c.

UNITEDd STATES i' PMENTQFFICE.

CHARLES L. CARMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CLUTCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 483,601, dated October4, 1892.

Application led January 26, 1892. Serial No. 419,259. (No model.)

T0 all whom it, may concern.-

Beit known that I, CHARLES L. CARMAN, of Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Clutches; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which forni a part of this specification.

This invention relates to clutches, and more particularly to that classknown as frictionclutches, and'has for its object to provide in clutchesof this description an increased frictional contact-surface without anundue increase in size, weight, or the number of parts, and also anincrease of pressure on the contact-surfaces, whereby the efficiency ofthe clutch is materially increased.

To these ends the invention consists in certain novel features, whichwill iirst be described, and then particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

. In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional View of a clutchmechanism embodying my invention in one form. Fig. 2 is a sectional viewof the same, taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section taken online 3 3 of Fig. 2, showing toggles in plan view.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view illustrating a-modi-l cation. Fig. 5 is asectional View thereof, taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

In the drawings, Figs. l, 2, and 3 show the invention as embodied in oneform, and also show the same as applied to a structure wherein it isused for the purpose of connecting aloose pulley with its shaft. In thisconstruction A represents the shaft, and B a loose pulley mountedthereon, a bushing a being interposed between the two in the usualmanner. Upon the pulley B there is mounted a flat ring or annulus C,arranged in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the shaftand pulley. In the present instance this annulus is shown as cast in onepiece with the pulley, being united with the spokes b thereof. The freeface of this annulus forms a flat radial fixed friction-surface c ofannular form.

C represents a second annulus parallel with the annulus C, rigidlyconnected with the pulley B and having a friction-surface c' oppositeand directly facing the surface c, with whichl it corresponds. As adesirable mode of connecting the annulus C with the pulley, it may beprovided with a cylindric extension C2, terminating in a ange o2, bymeans of which itis secured to the outer margin of the annulus C bymeans of bolts b or otherwise. Strengthening ribs C3 extend along theoutside of the parts C C2 and serve to reinforce the same in an obviousmanner.

The parts just described constitute one member of the clutch. The othermember consists ofthe parts which will now be described.

D represents a hub secured on the shaft A by a key d or the likeimmediately adjacent to the'pulley B. From this hub there extendsradially outward a plurality of spokes D. Each of these spokes isprovided at its free end with a sleeve or eye d', in which is 4mounted apin D2, parallel with the shaft A and projecting beyond the sleeve oreye CZ in both directions, being secured therein by a setscrew d2 orother suitable means. I

E E are two rings located, respectively, opposite the annuli C C andhayingon their outer faces friction-surfaces e e', lwhichjrespectivelycoincide with and are adapted to bear against the surfaces c c. Theserings are supported by the spokes D', the pins D? of which enter and iitloosely within apertures e2 in said rings, which latterare desirablyprovided with bosses or hubs E2, in which said apertures are located.The rings are thus supported in proper position and arent the same timefree to move towardandfroin each other. The rings E EJ are providedwitha suitable mechanism by which they/may be moved into contact with thefriction-surfaces c c or withdrawn from such contact. The mechanismpreferred for this purposeis a toggle mechanism,and inthe constructionnow under consideration is shown one form o f construction which I havedevised to accomplish this end. In this construction the rings E E areconnected by toggle-links F and G to toggle-arms H, pivoted to a sleeveI, longitudinally movable on the shaft A. The link F is desirably atwo-part link of adjustable length and, as shown, consists of a part F',provided at one end with an eye f, by means of which it is pivotedbetween lugs es on the ring E, its

ICO

other end being threaded and screwing into one end of a right-and-leftnutf, the other end of which nut receives the reversely-threaded end ofthe other part F2 of the link F. The other end of the part F2 isprovided with an eye f2, by means of which it is pivotally connectedwith the arm H and link G. A pivot pin or bolt F3, of any suitableconstruction, passes through the lugs e3 and eye f and connects theseparts, and a lock-nut f3 on the part F2 serves to lock theright-and-left nut f in position after adjustment. The links G are induplicate and are pivoted on opposite sides of a lug e4 on the ring E bymeans of a pivot pin or bolt G', and the outer end of the arm II isbifurcated, forming forks h. These forks h fit on opposite sides of theeye f2 and the links G fit outside of the'said forks h, a pivot pin orbolt H passing through' all of these' parts and pivotally connecting thesame. The inner end of the arm H- lis provided with an eye or sleeveh,wherebyit is pivotally secured between lugs i on the sleeve I by meansof a pivot pin or bolt l-l2.- These parts just referred to are employedin m ultiple,bein g arranged equidistantly around the hub D, and so manygroups thereof being employed as are found necessary or desirable. Inprac-l tice it is preferred to employ a number' equal to the number ofspokes D', eachgroupbeing arranged between two of the said spokes. Thesleeve I is not in contact with the hub D, but extends loosely over thesame andeutward beyond it,-bearing on the shaft at a point beyond' thehub' and being there contracted for this purpose.y At the poin-t whereit bears on the shaft the inner surface of the sleeve is rounded off, asshown at t', to permit a rock ing of said sleeve relatively to saidshaft on the surface t" as a fulcrum. The sleeve is provided with anexterna-l annular groove t2 in its periphery to receive astrap I', towhich is connected a lever i2, by means of which the sleeve I may bemoved longitudinally of the shaft A in the usual manner. An annularplate J is` secured to' the outer face of the inner edge of the annulusC and serves as a dust-guard to prevent the access of dust to theinterior mechanism of the clutch.

The operation of the clutch thus constructed is as follows: The parts ofthe second clutch member are assembled on the shaft and placed' inproper position thereon, and the part C C2 of the first member is thensecured in place on thepulley. The nuts f are then so turned as` to"adjust the toggle-links to the proper length to cause the rings'E E tobear with their maximum pressure against the friction'- surfacesc c whenthe arms H are radial and the links F G in a straight line with eachother. It will be seen that when the sleeve I is moved into the'position shown in full lines in Fig. l the two members of the clutchwill be united by the frictional contact between the friction-surfaces ce and c e', so that motion imparted to one of said members Will betransmitted to the other. When the sleeveY is moved into the positionshown in dotted lines in said figure, the meeting ends of the links F Gwill be drawn downward and the rings E E will be drawn away from thesurfaces c c', thus severing the connection between the two members.During these movements of the rings they are guided and supported on thepins D2 of the spokes D', which serve, also, to cause them to rotate inunison with the hub D and shaft A. When the arms I-I are radial and thelinks F G in line, the parts are locked against accidental displacement.The extent of the friction-surfaces of the two members in contact witheach other is very great and the durability of the clutch is increasedto a corresponding extent.v

The provision for permitting the sleeve I to rock on the shaft is forthe purpose o'f equalizing any inequalities `in the adjustment of theseveral adjustable links F. In practice it is found extremely difficultto adjust these several links to exactly the same extent, and bypermitting the free end of the sleeve I to vibrate freely laterally withrelation to the shaft this end of the sleeve virtually centers itselfrelatively to the toggl'es when the latter are adjusted, thus insuringequality of action of the toggles even when the adjustment of them isnot exactly similar.

I do not wish to be understoody as limiting myself strictly to theprecise details of coni structions just described, as variousmodifications niay be made Without departing from the principle of myinvention. For instance, the annulus C, instead of being cast in onepiece with the pulley B, may be made separate therefrom and connectedtherewith by screw-bolts or in any other suitable manner, and thislatter construction is of especia-lad- IOO vantage when the invention isto be applied where there is a' loose pulley already in position. Again,the annulus maybeconne'cted with the annulus C or pulley B in any othersuitable way than that shown. Moreover, the particular mode ofconnecting the rings E- E and hub D may be varied in many ways'4 as, forinstance, by having integral projections on the spokes or by having 'theprojections on the ringsY instead of on the spokes; The invention alsocontemplates omitting por-v tions of the rings E E', or, in other words,making the said rings in separate segments, and mechanism lforpositively moving the rings other thanthe toggle mechanism shown anddescribed may be employed. Themodifications are, however,- obvious andneed no detailed description here.

`As an illustration of a structure modified in detail but containing theessence of the invention, I have shown in Figs. 4 and 5 a shaftcouplingembodying my invention in a modi# fied form. In this structure A and Aare the shafts to be coupled, one member being secured on one of theshafts and the other mem- IIO ber being secured on the other shaft. Thepart piece therewith, and the annnlus C is bolted to the edge of thepart C2, as shown. The spokes D' are hollow, being open at one side, andtherefore U-shaped in cross-section, and serve to connect the hub D witha rim D3, provided at each spoke with an aperture d3. The annuli E E areprovided with inwardlyprojecting lugs e5, which rest upon the rim D3between lugs e6 on the periphery of said rim and serve to center andsupport the annuli while permitting them to slide toward and from eachother. The links F and G are non-adjustable, provision for adjustmentbeing made by constructing the arms I-I in two parts H2 I-I, havingthreaded connection, so that the length of the arms may be varied asdesired. The arms H are located within the hollow spokes D and extendthrough apertures da. The lugs t of the sleeve I iit within the sidewalls of the hollow spokes D and cause said sleeve to rotate along withsaid spokes and hub D. The sleeve I tits and slides j on the hub D,provision for rocking being made, as shown by the contracted portion ofthe sleeve only bearing upon said hub. It will be observed that in thisconstruction the parts are so adjusted that the links F G are not inline with each other when the clutch is set, thus providing for normalwear without the necessity of frequent adjustment of the arms H. Thuslateral adjustment or play of the sleeve I relatively to the shaft isprovided as in the construction first described.

It will be understood, of course, that the modified features shown inFigs. 4 and 5 and just described are equally applicable to a clutch forconnecting a loose pulley to a shaft, as in the construction firstdescribed, and con versely the construction shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3is adapted for use as a shaft-coupling.

l. A frictionclutch comprising two members, one provided with twoopposite fixed friction-surfaces radial to the axis of rotation and theother provided with two movable parts having friction surfaces located,re-

spectively, opposite to and parallel with said fixed friction-surfaces,and mechanism for positively actuating said movable parts away from eachother in the line of the axis of rotation to engage thefriction-surfaces, substantially as described.

j 2. A frictionclutch comprising two inembers, one provided with twoopposite fixed friction-su rfaces radial to the axis of rotation and theother provided with two movable rings located, respectively, opposite toand parallel with said friction-surfaces, and toggle mechanism foractuating said rings away from each other in the line of the axis ofrotation, substantially as described.

3. A friction-clutch comprising two members, one provided with twoannuli, one of which is detachable, said annuli having oppositefrictionsurfaces radial to the axis 0f. rotation, the other member beingprovided with two movable rings located between said friction-surfacesand respectively opposite to and parallel with the same, and mechanismfor positively actuating said rings in opposite directions in the lineof the axis of rotation, substantially as described.

4. A friction-clutch comprising two members, one provided with twoopposite xed friction-surfaces radial to the axis of rotation and theother provided with two movable rings located, respectively, opposite toand parallel with saidV friction-surfaces, and a plurality of togglemechanisms for actuating said rings away from each other in the line ofthe axis of rotation, one of the members of each toggle mechanism beingadjustable, substantially as described.

5. A friction-clutch comprising two members, one provided with twoopposite fixed friction-surfaces radial to the axis of rotation and theother provided` with two movable rings located, respectively, oppositeto and parallel with said friction-surfaces, and a 'plu-` rality oftoggle mechanisms each comprising links pivoted, respectively, to theringsand to each other, one of said links being a twopart link ofadjustable length, an arm pivoted at one of its ends to the links attheir point of connection, and a longitudinally-movable sleeve to whichthe other end of said arm is pivoted, substantially as described. j,

6. The combination, with a shaft, of aclutch one member of which isprovided with two opposite fixed radial friction-surfaces, the othermember being provided with two movable rings located, respectively,opposite to and parallel with said friction-surfaces, a plu. rality oftoggle mechanisms each comprising toggle-links and a toggle-arm, and asleeve connected with the said toggle-arm. and be ing longitudinallymovable on the shaft and free of contact therewith at its point ofconnection with said arms, substantially as de scribed.

7. The combination, with ashaft, of aclutch one member of which isnormally disconnected from said shaft and is provided with two oppositefixed radial friction-surfaces, the other member comprising abody fixedou the shaft and having guiding andsupporting devices, two movable partsmounted on said guiding and supportingdevices and rotated CHARLES L.CARMAN. Witnesses: i

TAYLOR E. BROWN, GEORGE W. I-IiGGiNs, .T r.

IOO

IIO

